Taximeter.



W. G. BRUHN.

TAXIMETER.

APPLICATION FILED NARA. 1910.

993,645. Patented May 30, 1911'.

2 SHEETSSHEBT l.

W. G. BRUHNf TAXIMETEE.

APPLICATION FILED 11113.4, 1910.

998,645, Patented May 30, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' C l I I II\ THE NQRRIs PETERS co.. WASHINGTON, B. 04 I UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

WILI-IELM Gr. BRUHN, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

TAXIMETER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILHELM G. BRUHN, a citizen of the German Empire,residing at Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in TaXimeters, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to certain means in taXimeters of the kindwherein the setting of the apparatus to the different positions iseffected by one device or part, for eX- ample the flag or signal, andthe invention has for object to prevent the apparatus when in theoperative or Engaged position, from being set in rapid succession to theinoperative position and back again to the operative or engagedposition. As the disks, drums or the like which indicate the fare haveto be returned to their initial position in the setting of the taximeterto the inoperative or Disengaged state, it is possible,if the taX-imeter is quickly set to disengaged and then at once quickly set toengaged, that the fare indicating disks, drums or the like have not timeto return fully to their zero or initial position, but are caught orarrested before they reach the same. It is possible for the driver totake advantage of this fact for the purpose of dishonestly indicatingand charging to a new fare (a foreigner for example) a considerablyhigher minimum fare than that of the tariff.

The drawings illustrate an example of apparatus constructed inaccordance with the invention.

The taximeter to which the invention is assumed to be applied is one ofthe kind in which the setting to the different positions is effected bymeans of the flag, and wherein when the apparatus is in the Engagedposition it cannot be set again to the Disengaged position beforeturning a special lever, which causes a plate bearing a suitableindication End of journey or the like) to be exhibited in the known wayat the front of the apparatus.

The taximeter shown is also assumed to be a three-tariff apparatus. Inthe upright position of the flag, the taximeter is at Disengaged. henthe flag is turned over to the right the taximeter is set to Tariff 1while the turning of the flag through a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 4, 1910.

Patented May 30, 1911.

Serial No. 547,346.

further 90 sets the apparatus to Tariff 2 and turning through stillanother 90 sets it to Tariff 3 The invention is not concerned with themanner in which the taXimeter is set to the diflerent positions by thesaid four positions of the flag, nor with the construction andarrangement of the mechanism of the actual apparatus for automaticallycalculating and indicating the fare. I have therefore only shown therear wall of the taXirneter and those parts which serve for preventingthe flag from being turned in rapid succession from Engaged toDisengaged, and back again to Engaged.

Figures 1 t0 4 are views of the rear wall seen from the inside of theapparatus. Fig. 1 shows the parts in the Disengaged position; Fig. 2shows the position after the commencement of the preparatorymanipulations necessary for setting the taXimeter to Engaged. Fig. 3shows the position immediately after the taximeter has been set toEngaged. Fig. 4; shows the position after the preparatory manipulationsnecessary for setting the taximeter to Disengaged a is the casing of theapparatus and b the rear wall.

a is the flag for setting the taXimeter to Engaged (Tarifi' 1, Tariff 2,Tariff 3) and to Disenga-ged c is the spindle of the flag.

0 is a multiple cam which, together with a lever cl, held in engagementtherewith by a spring (Z forms a retaining catch or detent.

0 is a disk fixed on the flag spindle c and carrying pins o serving inthe known way for moving or operating the parts whereby the operationsnecessary for setting the taximeter to Engaged, Disengaged, and fordiiferent tariffs are effected.

To the disk 0 is attached another disk of the same diameter. This latterdisk is formed at one part of its circumference with ratchet teeth 0 andat another part of its circumference with oppositely directed ratchetteeth 0 A pawl f pivoted at f and having a lateral arm f and subject tothe action of a spring 7 engages with the teeth 0 g is a pawl pivoted at9 having an extension and pressed into engagement with the teeth a by aspring 9 The taximeter is set to operative condition by turning the flaga from the vertical position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 into that shown inFigs. 3 and 4. During this movement the pawl f is in engagement with theteeth 0 and thus prevents the flag from being raised again wnen once ithas been partly turned down.

The taximeter is set to the inoperative condition by turning back theflag 0 from the horizontal position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 into thevertical position shown in Fig. 1. During this movement of the flag thepawl g is in engagement with the teeth 0 and prevents the partly raisedflag from being turned down again.

Means hereinafter described are provided such that during the settingfrom Disengaged to Engaged, 2'. e. from the position shown in Fig. 2 tothat shown in Fig. 8, only the pawl f is in engagement with the teeth 0and that during the setting from Engaged to Disengaged 2'. e. from theposition Fig. 4 to the position Fig. 1, only the pawl g is in engagementwith the teeth 0. Means hereinafter described are further provided suchthat it is necessary to turn a lever through a considerable angle beforethe taximeter can be set from Disengaged to Engaged; also that the levershall be automatically released and turned back into its originalposition as soon as the flag has been fully raised, 6. when thetaximeter is set to Disengaged; and also that the said lever must becompletely returned to its original position, then again turned througha considerable angle and again returned to the initial position beforethe taximeter can be again set from Disengaged to Engaged. The controlor actuation of the parts serving for these locking and releasingoperations is effected by means of a disk 7L rotatably mounted at ]L1.

6 is a toothed wheel which meshes with the teeth ]L2 of disk h and witha toothed wheel 2' adapted to be turned from the position shown in Fig.1 to that shown in Fig. 2, by means of a handle or lever 2' fittedoutside the rear wall of the casing.

By turning the lever 2' the disk h is caused to turn in the samedirection through the medium of the toothed wheels, and the spring itwhich tends to turn the disk It back into the position shown in Fig. 1,is stretched. The rotation of the disk h under the action of the spring72, (see Fig. 1) is limited by a fixed stop-pin 00 which engages aprojection h of the disk lb. The disk 7b can be turned against theaction of the spring ]L3 by raising the handle or lever i and thisturning movement is limited by a projection 71 of the disk comingagainst the same stop-pin :0. (In Fig. 2 this position is not quitereached.) The disk It is likewise formed with a gap or nose It andcarries three pins, 707, h and b. On the stud g about which the pawl 9turns is likewise pivoted a two-armed lever 71. The upper arm of thislever carries a pin Zc' and is pressed with its pin 75 against theperiphery of the disk 0 by a spring 7J2. On the disk 0' is likewisepivotally mounted a pawl c the outer edge of which projects beyond theperiphery of the disk 0 A small spring 0 tends to draw the pawl 0 upagainst one of the pins 0 (see Figs. 2, 3 and In this position the pawl0 covers a notch a formed in the periphery of the disk 0. hen the flag 0is turned up from the position shown in Fig. at into that shown in Fig.1, the pin 7.; slides upon the periphery of the disk 0". Before the flagis fully raised the pin k comes against the projecting pawl c and pushesit aside. lVhen the flag is fully raised, the pin snaps into the notch 0of the disk 0 This is the position shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 1 the partsconcerned are in the following position: The pawl g has been lifted outof engagement with the teeth 0 owing to the pin h of the disk it havingmoved the tail 9 of the pawl r aside against the action of the springThe flag 0 can not, however, be turned down, because, as alreadyexplained, the pin 7&1 is seated in the notch 0 of the disk 0 and thuslocks the disk 0 against movement. The pawl f is held in engagement withthe ratchet teeth 0 by its spring f Below the disk 0 and above the diskit is a two-armed lever Z pivotally mounted at Z The left arm of thislever carries a pin Z and the right arm a pin Z A strong spring Z tendsto turn the lever Z in the direction of the arrow. When the lever Z isturned in this direction, the pin Z rises. comes against the arm 7 ofthe pawl f and lifts the pawl f out of engagement with the teeth 0", thespring 7' being considerably weaker than the spring Z. In the positionshown in Fig. 1, however, the pin Z is pressed down by a nose 0, fixedon the disk 0 to such an extent that the pin Z releases the pawl f sothat this is free to obey the action of the spring f and engage with theteeth 0 lVIoreover the pin Z has risen to a position in which it isengaged by a hooked locking catch 97? subject to the action of a springm and pivoted at m On the lower arm of the lever 71: is pivoted at 70 atwo-armed lever 0. The upper arm of this lever 0 is formed at the endwith a gap 0 in which is located a pin 7: fixed on the lever 70. To thelower arm of the lever 0 is pivoted a pawl 7) formed with a notch 79.

by its spring 0 In the position shown in Fig. 1 the flag 0 is locked. Itcannot be turned to the left, as its rod is against a fixed stop 9.Moreover the pawl f is in engagement with the last tooth ofthe series 0The pawl g is raised out of engagement with the teeth 0 by the pin it"and would therefore not prevent the turning of the flag to the right,but the turning of the flag in this direction is prevented by the factthat the pin Z0 is engaged in the notch 0 of the disk 0 If the lever 2'is now turned up toward the left, the disk it will be turned in the samedirection against the action of the spring h through the medium of thetoothed wheels, 2', e and 7f. In this movement the pin it moves awayfrom the tail g of the pawl 9, so that the pawl 9 again engages with theteeth 0. The pin h engages in the notch 79 of the pawl 79 and draws thepawl toward the left. The result of this is first to turn the lever 0about 70 until the pin 70* strikes the other side of the notch 0 In thecontinued movement of the pawl 29 toward the left, therefore, the lowerarm of the lever 70 is also moved toward theleft. Consequently the pin76 is raised out of engagement with the notch 0 to such an extent as toallow the pawl 0 to be pulled in front of the pin In this position thepawl 0 covers the notch 0 so that the pin 70 cannot return intoengagement therewith. It is still not possible, however, to turn downthe flag to the right, as the pawl g is again in engagement with theteeth The parts are shown, in this position, in Fig. 2. If new the lever71 is turned a little farther, the pawl p is turned downward by the pinit the pin it? moves up out of the notch 79 of lever 79 and consequentlythe lever 70 is free to obey the action of the spring Z2 But, as beforementioned, the pin 70 is prevented by the pawl 0 from engaging in thenotch c. If the lever 2' is now released, the

I disk It and the lever 11 are turned back in the direction of thearrows into their initial position by means of the spring h In thisposition the pawl g is raised out of locking position by the pin it".The flag 0 can now be turned down from the position shown in Fig. 2 intothat shown in Fig. 3, so as to set the apparatus to operative position.Until the lever 2' was turned right back to its initial position, thepawl g remained in engagement with the teeth 0 and thus rendered itimpossible to turn down the flag.

As the lever Z is kept locked in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 bythe catch m, the pawl f remains in engagement with the teeth 0 while theflag is being turned down, and therefore prevents the partly depressedflag from being raised again.

It is only when the flag has been fully depressed (see Fig. 8) that anose 0 fixed to the disk 0 comes against a projection m of the catch mand moves the latter aside, so as to release the pawl. The lever Z, however, can at first only be turned slightly in the direction of the arrowby its spring Z, namely until a nose Z of this lever comes upon theperiphery of the disk it. The pawl 7 therefore remains in engagementwith the teeth 0 (see Fig. 3) and prevents the flag from being againraised to Disengaged On the other hand the flag can be turned downthrough another 90 (Tariff 2) and can be then turned through a further90 in the same direction (Tariff Any further turning of the flag in thesame direction is prevented by the stop pin 1". Between Tariffs 1, 2 and3 the flag can be set backward and forward without obstruction. Beforehowever the [lag can be set back from Tarifi 1 (Fig. 8) to Disengaged(Fig. 1), the lever i must be turned up from the position shown in Fig.3 to that shown in Fig. 4. The disk 72, is thereby turned against theaction of the spring if to such an extent that the nose Z of lever Z canengage the notch or tooth h of the disk 72. (see Fig. 4). By this meansthe pawl f is raised out of engagement with the teeth 0 and the disk Itis held locked by the nose Z so that neither this disk nor the lever 2'can be drawn back into their initial positions by the spring 71. It willnow also be understood why it was necessary to keep the lever Z lockedby the catch an until the flag 0 was turned right down from the positionshown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3. For if the lever Z were notlocked by the catch m during this time, it would be possible, afterpartly depressing the flag, to raise the lever 2' sufficiently to allowthe nose Z to engage in the notch or tooth 7L and thereby release thepawl The partly depressed flag could then be raised again. Moreover asthe disk It is held locked in the position shown in Fig. 4, the pawl 9cannot be disengaged from the teeth 0 by the pin h The pawl 9 thereforeremains in engage ment with the teeth 0 during the whole time the flagis being raised and prevents any possibility of the flag being depressedagain after it has been partly raised. If now the flag 0 is raised fromthe position shown in Fig. 4 (Tariff 1) to the position shown in Fig. 1(Disengaged), the nose 0 first released the catch m. Just before theflag has been quite raised the pin 70 moves the pawl 0 aside so thatthis pin can engage in the notch 0 when the flag is fully raised.Further the nose 0 depresses the pin Z so that the nose Z is raised fromengagement with the notch or tooth k Consequently the disk It and lever2' spring back into the position shown in Fig. 1. When the pin Z movesdown, the pin Z rises sothat the catch m can engage under it.

The same series of operations as above described is repeated when theapparatus is again set to the operative and inoperative conditions.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the flag or otherpart which serves for setting the taximeter to the different po sitionsof service cannot be set directly from Disengaged to Engaged, but islocked in the Disengaged position until a lever has been moved to andfro between two positions.

Another feature of the invention is that the locking of the flag iseffected in the raising thereof, by a pin adapted to move a pawl asideand engage in a notch of a disk connected with the flag, and that inorder to release the flag it is necessary first to turn the lever lastmentioned, so as to move the said pin out of engagement with the notchand so that the said pawl moves in front of this pin and prevents itfrom reengaging with the notch, the releasing of the lever then servingto release a second intermediately effected locking of the flag.

I claim:

1. In a taximeter or fare indicating apparatus, means for setting theapparatus to the different positions to indicate different conditions ofservice, comprising a movable element, a lever adapted to be moved toand fro between two positions, and means whereby said element is lockedin the Disengaged position until the said lever has been moved to andfro between said positions.

2. In a taximeter or fare indicating apparatus, means for setting theapparatus to the different positions to indicate different conditions ofservice, comprising an indicator, a lever adapted to be moved to and frobetween two positions, and means whereby said indicator is locked in theDisengaged position until the said lever has been moved to and frobetween said positions.

3. In a taXimeter or fare indicating apparatus, means for setting theapparatus to the different positions to indicate differentconditions ofservice, comprising a pivoted indicator, a lever adapted to be moved toand fro between two positions, and means whereby said indicator islocked in the Disengaged position until the said lever has been moved toand fro between said positions.

4t. In a fare indicating apparatus, the combination of a movableelement, for setting the apparatus to the different positions toindicate different conditions of service, a locking pin, a diskconnected with the setting element provided with a notch adapted to beengaged by the pin to lock said element during the setting, a leveradapted to be moved to and fro between two positions, and means operatedby said lever when moved in one direction, for disengaging the lockingpin from the notch.

5. In a fare indicating apparatus, the combination of a movable element,for setting the apparatus, to the different positions to indicatedifferent conditions of service, locking means, a disk locked by saidmeans when the setting element is moved during the setting, a leveradapted to be turned to and fro between two positions, and means,operated by said lever in its movement in one direction, for disengagingthe locking means from the disk.

6. In a fare indicating apparatus, the combination of a pivot, anelement adapted to be rotated on said pivot for setting the apparatusfrom the Disengaged to the Engaged position, a lever adapted to beturned to and fro between two positions, means for normally andyieldingly holding the lever in one of said positions, means for lockingthe setting element in the Disengaged position, and means operated bysaid lever in its movement to and from its normal position fordisengaging the locking means and permitting the setting element to bemoved to the Engaged position.

7. In a fare indicating apparatus, the combination of a pivot, a diskthereon provided with a notch in its periphery, a setting elementprojecting from said disk adapted to be moved with the disk about thepivot to set the apparatus to different positions to indicate differentconditions of service, a locking pin held yieldingly upon the peripheryof the disk and engaging the notch to lock the disk when the latter isretated in one direction, and a pawl pivoted on the disk in position toshunt the pin over the notch when the disk is moved in the oppositedirection.

8. In a fare indicating apparatus, the combination of a pivot, a diskthereon provided with a notch in its periphery, a setting elementprojecting from said disk adapted to be moved with the disk about thepivot to set the apparatus to different positions to indicate differentconditions of service, a locking pin held yieldingly upon the peripheryof the disk and engaging the notch to lock the disk when the latter isrotated in one direction, a pawl pivoted on the disk in position toshunt the pin over the notch when the disk is moved in the oppositedirection, a lever adapted to be turned to and fro between twopositions, and means, operated by said lever when moved in onedirection, for disengaging the locking pin from the notch.

9. In a taximeter or fare indicating apengaged from the notch and to bemoved 5 paratus, the combination of a movable element, for setting theapparatus to the diflerent positions to indicate different conditions ofservice, a locking pin, a disk connected with said setting element andhaving a notch adapted to be engaged by said pin during the setting ofsaid elementto lock said element, a lever adapted to be turned to andfro between two positions, means operated by the movement of said leverin one direction for disengaging the locking pin from said notch, a pawladapted to mask the said notch When the locking pin is disaside by thelocking pin in its locking motion, and means for intermediately lockingsaid setting element, said means being released by the release ormovement of the said lever in the other direction, substantially asdescribed.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of tWoWitnesses.

WILHELM G. BRUHN.

Witnesses WALDEMAR HAUPT, HENRY HASPER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). C.

